enamel

UK: /ɪˈnæm^əl/ US: /ɪˈnæməl/ ,(i nam′əl)

Inflections of 'enamel' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

When both "l" and "ll" forms exist, spellings with a double "l" are correct, but rare, in US English, while those with a single "l" are not correct in UK English.

enamels

v 3rd person singular

enamelling

v pres p (Mainly UK)

enameling

v pres p (US)

enamelled

v past (Mainly UK)

enameled

v past (US)

enamelled

v past p (Mainly UK)

enameled

v past p (US)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

e•nam•el /ɪˈnæməl/   n. 

[uncountable]
1. Chemistry a glassy substance that is applied by heat to the surface of metal, pottery, etc., as a decoration or for protection.
2. Chemistry a paint that dries to a hard, shiny finish.
3. Dentistry the hard, shiny covering of the crown of a tooth.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

e•nam•el  (i nam′əl), n., v., -eled, -el•ing or (esp. Brit.) -elled, -el•ling. 
n. 

1. a glassy substance, usually opaque, applied by fusion to the surface of metal, pottery, etc., as an ornament or for protection.
2. enamelware.
3. any of various varnishes, paints, coatings, etc., drying to a hard, glossy finish.
4. any enamellike surface with a bright luster.
5. Fine Art an artistic work executed in enamel.
6. Dentistry the hard, glossy, calcareous covering of the crown of a tooth, containing only a slight amount of organic substance. See diag. under tooth. 

v.t. 

7. to inlay or overlay with enamel.
8. to form an enamellike surface upon:
   to enamel cardboard.
9. to decorate as with enamel;
   variegate with colors.

• Old Low Franconian *smalt- something melted, cognate with German Schmalz fat; akin to smelt¹; compare smalto
• Anglo-French enameler, enamailler, equivalent. to en- en-¹ + -amaler, derivative of asmal, esmal enamel, Old French esmail (-al taken as the suffix -ail)
• Middle English enamelen 1275–1325

e•nam′el•er*  [esp. Brit.,] e•nam′el•ler, n. 
e•nam′el•ist;
 [esp. Brit.,] e•nam′el•list, n. 
e•nam′el•work′, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

enamel / ɪˈnæməl/ noun

1. a coloured glassy substance, translucent or opaque, fused to the surface of articles made of metal, glass, etc, for ornament or protection
2. an article or articles ornamented with enamel
3. an enamel-like paint or varnish
4. any smooth glossy coating resembling enamel
5. another word for nail polish
6. the hard white calcified substance that covers the crown of each tooth
7. (modifier) decorated or covered with enamel: an enamel ring

verb ( -els, -elling, -elled) ( -els, -eling, -eled)(transitive)

1. to ornament with glossy variegated colours, as if with enamel
2. to portray in enamel

Etymology: 15th Century: from Old French esmail, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German smalz lard; see smelt¹

eˈnameller, eˈnamellisteˈnameler, eˈnamelist noun

eˈnamelˌwork noun